In one episode of the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld, the catchphrase is “serenity now!” Frank (George’s dad) had high blood pressure and he heard on a cassette tape that if you say, “serenity now,” it would help keep your blood pressure down. So regularly during the show, Frank would yell, “Serenity now!” Eventually, Kramer also started using the phrase, claiming it would melt his anger away. But the argument on the show became whether shouting the phrase in anger actually lowered someone’s blood pressure.
Some people find the quiet corner of a library to be a place of serenity. Others might find serenity on a walk in the countryside. In the Christian faith, there is an important word that is related to serenity: peace. Biblically speaking, peace means wholeness and soundness in life. It is the well-being of body, soul, mind, health, and even relationships. Peace is not just a lack of hostility or conflict; it is harmony, serenity, and tranquility in all aspects of life. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and the Greek word is eirene. Peace is the third fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
The Meaning of Peace
The best peace—true peace—is peace with God the Creator. All true peace has God at its center and as its foundation. The problem is that people do not have peace with God naturally or by default. People are not born at peace with God, as if it is “all good” between us. We do not come into the world as friends of God. Yes, most people think their relationship with God is fine as long as they try to be good. The Bible and our own experiences, however, paint a very different picture.
The Bible says that all people are sinful. People naturally disobey God and do not comply with his laws. The reason for this is found in the story of Adam’s sin long ago (Gen 1–3). Because Adam disobeyed God and ate the fruit, all his descendants are sinful. In fact, David says people are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5). Paul says that people by nature are dead in sin (Eph 2:1). This means that people by nature live in sin. There is none righteous, no not one (Rom 3:10).
You do not have to look around too long to see that sin and evil are real. You have no doubt experienced evil in your own lives. People have hurt you and done terrible things to you. You know from experience that people are not always good. We read about terrorist attacks, sex trafficking, murder, and mass shootings. It is hard to say that people are basically good. On top of that, we know that our own hearts have plenty of dark corners. We hate, lie, get angry, say terrible things, and even think murderous thoughts. None of us can truly say, “I’m such a great person!” Indeed, experience agrees with Scripture: people are very sinful.
Biblically speaking, our sin separates us from God. If someone hates you, lies to you, and never listens to a word you say, those things would be huge barriers to a good relationship with that person. Similarly, our sins create a relational barrier that separates us from God. It is a huge chasm! Long ago Isaiah said, “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins he has turned away” (Isa 59:2; NLT). And who can blame God? Our mouths are full of lies, our hearts are full of pride, and our actions are stained with wickedness. So the Bible says there is no peace for the wicked (Isa 57:21). By nature, we do not know the way of peace (Rom 3:17). We have forfeited peace by disobeying God’s law much and often.
Thankfully, God is not a God of disorder. He is a God of peace (1 Cor 14:33). Peace is a characteristic of God. In fact, several times Paul calls him “the God of peace” (e.g., Rom 16:20). Gideon called his altar “The LORD is Peace” (Yahweh Shalom) (Judg 6:24). If God were not a God of peace, there would have never been any peace anywhere. We would not even know what peace is. Life would be a living hell if our Creator were not a peaceful God.
But our triune God is a God of peace. Though he was not at all obligated to make peace with sinful people, in his mercy, he chose to do so. He is a gracious God who is merciful and makes peace with the wicked. Thinking in terms of the fruit of the Spirit, God is a loving God who rejoices in his people and makes peace with them by his grace. There is such a thing as true peace. True peace is real because God is real. Sinful people like us can truly have peace with God—a calm tranquility in our hearts that radiates out upon our lives. Thank God for this reality!
How Does God Make Peace?
The Bible is clear. We have peace with God through Christ (Rom 5:1). God sent his Son into the world to make peace (Col 1:20). When Jesus suffered and died on the cross, he did so for sinners. He had no sin for which to be punished. But out of love, he laid down his life to bear the punishment for sin that we deserved. As Isaiah says, the punishment that brought us peace was on him (Isa 53:5). Because he bore our sins on the cross, they have been removed from us. We are forgiven by God and the wall of hostility has been broken down. His sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross is the only thing that can remove the barrier of sin between God and man. Through faith in Christ, we have peace with God.
It is right and proper to call Christ’s redeeming work the “gospel of peace” (Eph 6:15). We call Jesus the Prince of Peace because he is the great peacemaker (Isa 9:6). He is the king who speaks peace to the nations: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you . . . peace be with you” (Zech 9:10; John 14:27; 20:19; Rev 1:4). He still speaks peace to us today by his Word and Spirit. In a word, true peace comes from God through faith in Christ.
Nothing in this world can give you true, deep, lasting peace. Buddhism promises the concept of Nirvana, but that is more of an escape from reality than true wholeness and well-being of body and soul. You can try to escape conflict and discord with drugs and alcohol, but they wear off and leave you worse than before. Trying to find peace through drugs and alcohol is actually a path to peril.
Another way to say it is like this: God gives peace through faith alone in Christ alone. We do not have to work to get peace with God. It is not like God will owe us peace if we try to do enough for him. Peace is one of those gracious blessings that come from God through Christ. He gave his Son to die for us and bring us peace. It is a divine gift of grace.
This peace is, first of all, objective. That means it is outside of us. It is peace between God and us. If you are a Christian, God is not angry with you. God is not frustrated with you or at odds with you. He loves you with steadfast love, and in Christ, you have a peaceful relationship with God. Yes, God sometimes disciplines us when we disobey him, but the peace that Christ secured for us is solid and objective. Nothing can take this peace away because it is grounded in Christ’s finished work. Our peace with God is secure.
Next time we will look at peace as a spiritual quality and its effects in the life of the believer.
© Shane Lems. All Rights Reserved.
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Shane Lems
Shane Lems is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California and has a DMin from RTS Orlando. He has been a church planter and pastor in the URCNA. Since 2013 he’s been serving as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Hammond, WI. He is married and has four children. Shane has written numerous articles for Modern Reformation, New Horizons, and other publications. He is also the author of Doctrines of Grace: Student Edition and manages a book blog, The Reformed Reader.
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